Puncture apparatus

Abstract

A puncture apparatus is disclosed, which includes a freely rotatable puncture member possessing a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the puncture member including a bent region at which the puncture member is bent, the distal end portion of the puncture member including a puncture needle for puncturing living body tissue as the puncture member is rotated about a rotation center to rotate a needle tip of the puncture needle toward the living body tissue to puncture the living body tissue; and an elongated urethral-insertion member configured to be inserted into a urethra so that a near-side of the urethral-insertion member is the side of the urethral-insertion member located closer to the rotation center, and the far-side of the urethral-insertion member is the side of the urethral-insertion member located farther from the rotation center.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A puncture apparatus comprising:
 a freely rotatable puncture member possessing a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the puncture member including a bent region at which the puncture member is bent, the distal end portion of the puncture member including a puncture needle for puncturing living body tissue as the puncture member is rotated about a rotation center to rotate a needle tip of the puncture needle toward the living body tissue to puncture the living body tissue; and 
 an elongated urethral-insertion member configured to be inserted into a urethra so that a near-side of the urethral-insertion member is the side of the urethral-insertion member located closer to the rotation center, and the far-side of the urethral-insertion member is the side of the urethral-insertion member located farther from the rotation center. 
 
     
     
       2. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 an elongated vaginal-insertion member sized and configured to be inserted into a vagina, wherein the vaginal-insertion member is arranged on a lower side of the urethral-insertion member and is spaced apart from the urethral-insertion member by a predetermined distance such that an orbit of the puncture needle passes a portion between the urethral-insertion member and the vaginal-insertion member. 
 
     
     
       3. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein an axis of the urethral-insertion member and an axis of the vaginal-insertion member are parallel. 
     
     
       4. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein an axis of the urethral-insertion member is inclined with respect to an axis of the vaginal-insertion member such that a distance of separation between the axis of the urethral-insertion member and the axis of the vaginal-insertion member increases towards a distal side. 
     
     
       5. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the urethral-insertion member and/or the vaginal-insertion member include a suction mechanism configured to suction an inner wall of the urethra or the vagina, respectively, and wherein the suction mechanism holds the urethral-insertion member and/or the vaginal-insertion member against the urethra and vagina, respectively. 
     
     
       6. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 2 , comprising:
 a supporting member for restricting a positional relationship between the puncture member and the urethral-insertion member so that the needle tip of the puncture needle which is rotating about the rotation center after first puncturing the living body tissue passes on the far-side of the urethral-insertion member; and 
 wherein the supporting member restricts the positional relationship between the puncture member and the vaginal-insertion member such that the needle tip of the puncture needle will not intersect the vaginal-insertion member when the puncture member is rotating about the rotation center after first puncturing the living body tissue. 
 
     
     
       7. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the puncture member includes an axial portion possessing a central axis which is a rotational axis for rotational movement of the puncture member, and the supporting member supports the axial portion in a freely rotatable manner. 
     
     
       8. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the puncture member is freely detachably mounted on the supporting member. 
     
     
       9. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the axial portion is supported by the supporting member movably in the axial direction of the urethral-insertion member. 
     
     
       10. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the puncture member includes an axial portion connected to the puncture needle, the axial portion and the urethral-insertion member each possessing a respective axis, the axis of the axial portion being inclined with respect to the axis of the urethral-insertion member such that a distance of separation between the axis of the axial portion and the axis of the urethral-insertion member increases or decreases is a distal direction. 
     
     
       11. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the puncture member includes an operation unit operatively connected to the puncture member so that operation of the operation member rotates the puncture member. 
     
     
       12. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the puncture needle possesses a distal end portion provided with a through-hole. 
     
     
       13. A puncture apparatus comprising:
 a freely rotatable puncture member possessing a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the puncture member including a bent region at which the puncture member is bent, the distal end portion of the puncture member including a puncture needle for puncturing living body tissue as the puncture member is rotated about a rotation center to rotate a needle tip of the puncture needle toward the living body tissue to puncture the living body tissue; and 
 an elongated insertion member configured to be inserted inside a living body so that a near-side of the insertion member is the side of the insertion member located closer to the rotation center, and the far-side of the insertion member is the side of the insertion member located farther from the rotation center. 
 
     
     
       14. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the insertion member comprises a urethral-insertion member inserted inside a urethra. 
     
     
       15. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the insertion member comprises a vaginal-insertion member inserted inside a vagina. 
     
     
       16. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 13 , comprising:
 a restriction structure which restricts a positional relationship between the puncture member and the insertion member to position the needle tip of the puncture needle which is rotating about the rotation center after first puncturing the living body tissue on the far-side of the insertion member. 
 
     
     
       17. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the insertion member includes a balloon catheter configured to restrict the position of the insertion member in a longitudinal direction inside the living body. 
     
     
       18. The puncture apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the insertion member include a suction mechanism for suctioning an inner wall of the living body. 
     
     
       19. A method of forming a path in living body tissue, the method comprising:
 inserting an elongated insertion member of a puncture apparatus into a portion of a living body, the puncture apparatus also including a rotatable puncture member possessing a distal end portion at which is located a needle tip; 
 rotating the puncture member in a rotational direction about a rotation center while the insertion member remains inserted in the living body to move the puncture member along a path of rotational movement, the portion of the living body into which the insertion member is inserted being located relative to the rotation center of the path of rotational movement of the puncture member such that a near-side of the insertion member is the side of the insertion member located closer to the rotation center, and a far-side of the insertion member is the side of the insertion member located farther from the rotation center; and 
 continuing to rotate the puncture member in the rotational direction about the rotation center while the insertion member remains inserted in the living body to cause the needle tip to puncture a surface of the living body tissue. 
 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the needle tip punctures the surface of the living body tissue at a first location, the method comprising:
 continuing to rotate the puncture member in the rotational direction until the needle tip penetrates the surface of the living body tissue to exit the living body tissue at a second location spaced from the first location; and 
 fixing one end of an implant to the needle tip after the needle tip exits the living body tissue at the second location.